U.S. patent number 5,753,323 [Application Number 08/609,350] was granted by the patent office on 1998-05-19 for palmetto pattern camouflage.
Invention is credited to Chris Wayne Andrus.
United States Patent |
5,753,323 |
Andrus |
May 19, 1998 |
Palmetto pattern camouflage
Abstract
A camouflage pattern for use on clothing and other articles for
concealing a hunter or outdoorsman in a forest undergrowth
comprised primarily of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants. The pattern
is comprised of a background of varying shades of gray overlaid by
successive patterns of plants having extending, long, flat,
fan-shaped, pointed, finger-like medium green foliage so as to
depict fan-shaped palmetto palm plants intermittently interspersed
with plants having downwardly bent, long, flat, fan-shaped,
pointed, finger-like brown foliage. The plants of each successive
pattern being smaller than those of the preceding pattern and
having a slightly lighter shade of green foliage than that of the
preceding pattern.
Inventors: |
Andrus; Chris Wayne (Opelousas,
LA) |
Family
ID: |
24440424 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/609,350 |
Filed: |
March 1, 1996 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/17; 2/900;
428/919; 428/21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41H
3/00 (20130101); Y10S 428/919 (20130101); Y10S
2/90 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F41H
3/00 (20060101); F41H 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;428/15,17,919,21
;2/900 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Gander Mountain, pp. 72&73 regarding camouflage, 1995 Archery
catalog..
|
Primary Examiner: Epstein; Henry F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Stagg; William W.
Claims
I claim:
1. A camouflage pattern comprising:
(a) a background of varying shades of gray, said gray background
having contiguous areas of gray that gradually and smoothly
transition up the gray spectrum from areas of light gray to
charcoal gray and then having a gradual and smooth transition down
the gray spectrum to areas of light gray;
(b) a foreground plant grouping comprising a plurality of nearly
life-size fan-shaped palmetto palm plants overlaying said gray
background, said plants of said foreground plant grouping having
outwardly extending, fan-shaped leaves primarily of medium dark
green color interspersed with a plurality of fan-shaped palmetto
palm plants having brown, downwardly bent, fan-shaped leaves;
(c) a first mid-ground grouping of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants
overlaying said gray background, said plants of said first
mid-ground grouping having outwardly extending, fan-shaped leaves
slightly smaller and of a lighter green color than those of said
plants of said foreground grouping said first mid-ground grouping
being interspersed with a plurality of fan-shaped palmetto palm
plants having brown, downwardly bent, fan-shaped leaves;
(d) a second mid-ground grouping of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants
overlaying said gray background, said second mid-ground grouping
having outwardly extending, fan-shaped leaves slightly smaller and
of a lighter green color than those of said first mid-ground
grouping said second mid-ground grouping being interspersed with
brown, downwardly bent, fan-shaped palmetto palm plant leaves;
and
(e) a plurality of poison ivy-shaped vines and leaves of varying
sizes and of a color varying in shade from light green to dark
green, said poison ivy-shaped vines and leaves being interwoven
throughout each of said palmetto palm plant groupings.
2. A camouflage pattern for use on clothing for concealing a hunter
or outdoorsman in a forest undergrowth of fan-shaped palmetto palm
plants further comprising:
(a) a background comprised of varying shades of gray;
(b) a foreground pattern of said fan-shaped palmetto palm plants
overlaying said background, said foreground pattern having a
plurality of said fan-shaped palmetto palm plants with outwardly
extending, long, flat, fan-shaped, pointed, medium dark green
foliage intermittently interspersed with said fan-shaped palmetto
palm plants having downwardly bent, long, flat, fan-shaped,
pointed, brown foliage; and
(c) a plurality of successive mid-ground patterns of said
fan-shaped palmetto palm plants overlaying said background, said
mid-ground patterns having a plurality of said fan-shaped palmetto
palm plants with outwardly extending, long, flat, fan-shaped,
pointed, green foliage intermittently interspersed with a plurality
of fan-shaped palmetto plants with downwardly bent, long, flat,
fan-shaped, pointed, brown foliage, each of said successive
mid-ground patterns being smaller than its preceding pattern and
having a slightly lighter shade of green foliage.
3. A camouflage pattern as recited in claim 2, wherein said
fan-shaped palmetto palm plants of said foreground pattern are
approximately life size.
4. A camouflage pattern as recited in claim 3, wherein said gray
background varies in shade with contiguous areas of gray that
gradually and smoothly transition up the gray spectrum from areas
of light gray to areas of charcoal gray and then gradually and
smoothly transition down the gray spectrum to areas of light
gray.
5. A camouflage pattern as recited in claim 4, further comprising a
plurality poison ivy-shaped vines and leaves of varying sizes and
of a color varying in shade from light green to dark green, said
poison ivy-shaped vines and leaves being interwoven throughout each
of said patterns of plants.
6. A camouflage pattern for use on clothing and personal equipment
for concealing a hunter or outdoorsman in a forest undergrowth
comprised primarily of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants
comprising:
(a) a gray background; and
(b) a plurality of successive patterns depicting fan-shaped
palmetto palm plants, including plant stalks and berries,
overlaying said background, said successive patterns having plants
depicted with outwardly extending, long, flat, fan-shaped, pointed
foliage so as to mimic the foliage of a fan-shaped palmetto palm,
said successive patterns having plants of a size smaller than those
of the immediately preceding pattern and of a lighter shade.
7. A camouflage pattern as recited in claim 6, wherein the
depiction of said fan-shaped palmetto palm plants in the largest of
said successive patterns of plants is approximately life size.
8. A camouflage pattern as recited in claim 7, wherein said
depiction of said fan-shaped palmetto palm plants in the largest of
said successive patterns are of substantially the same color as
that of fan-shaped palmetto palms.
9. A camouflage pattern as recited in claim 8, wherein said gray
background varies in shade with contiguous areas that gradually and
smoothly transition up the gray spectrum from areas of light gray
to areas of charcoal gray and then gradually and smoothly
transition down the gray spectrum to areas of light gray.
10. A camouflage pattern as recited in claim 9, further comprising
a depiction of a plurality of poison ivy-shaped vines and leaves of
varying sizes and of a color varying in shade from light green to
dark green, said depiction of said plurality of poison ivy-shaped
vines and leaves being interwoven throughout each of said
successive patterns.
11. A camouflage pattern comprising:
(a) a background pattern, said background comprising repeated and
contiguous areas of gray shading, said gray shading of said
contiguous areas being shaded so as to transition gradually and
smoothly along the gray spectrum from areas of light gray to
charcoal gray;
(b) a plurality of successive plant patterns overlaying said
background, each of said successive patterns depicting a plurality
of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants so as to have a series of
preceding and succeeding patterns of said plants, each succeeding
pattern being progressively smaller than the plants of its said
preceding plant pattern, said successive patterns each having a
plurality of plants with upwardly extending, fan-shaped leaves of a
lighter green color than said leaves of its said preceding pattern
interspersed with a plurality of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants
having brown, downwardly bent, fan-shaped leaves.
12. A camouflage as recited in claim 11 wherein, said successive
plant patterns include a plurality of vines and leaves of varying
sizes and of a color varying in shade from light green to dark
green, said vines and leaves being interwoven throughout each
successive plant pattern.
13. A camouflage as recited in claim 12 wherein, said plurality of
vines and leaves are shaped so as to depict poison ivy vines and
leaves.
14. A camouflage pattern as recited in claim 13, wherein said
plants of said successive plant patterns are of substantially the
same color as that of fan-shaped palmetto palms.
15. A camouflage pattern as recited in claim 13, wherein the
largest plants of said successive plant patterns depicting
fan-shaped palmetto palm plants are nearly life-size.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the field of camouflage
patterns and, more particularly, it relates to an improved
camouflage pattern for use on hunting clothing, cloth and other
articles which incorporates a foreground pattern of fan-shaped
palmetto palm leaves, an intermediate pattern comprised of a tangle
of vines and secondary leaves, and a gray background to blend into
a forest environment comprised primarily of an undergrowth of
fan-shaped palmetto palm leaves that are common in the swampy
forests and woodlands prevalent along the gulf coast of the United
States.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Over the years a variety of camouflage design patterns have been
utilized to improve the concealment techniques utilize by hunters,
bird watchers and others engaged in outdoor activities. These
designs typically employ splotches of brown or green in different
shades over a contrasting background such as the brown and green
camouflage patterns used by the military during and since World War
II.
Other designs for camouflage patterns include those disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,065 to Yacovella for Bark Camouflage Cloth and
Outer Garments and U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,900 to Shannon et al for
Article having Concealing Pattern. The camouflage cloth of
Yacovella attempts to mimic the rough bark of a tree by utilizing a
disruptive pattern of highly elongated vertical ribs and channels
in earthtones having vertical black shadows along the edges of the
ribs. It being thought that a camouflage that generally mimics the
vertical bark lines of a real tree will provide a superior
camouflage for the hunter to that having splotches of dark and
light shades or that which attempts to mimic the bark of a
particular type of tree. The camouflage pattern of Shannon et al
discloses a pattern adapted for concealment in a leafy environment.
It consists of a pattern having a first color forming dark leaf and
twig shapes of a generally biconvex curvilinear outline a second
color forming a generally lighter background, the first color
comprising the major portion of the surface pattern. It being
thought that such biconvex curvilinear shapes and colors
approximate the leafy plants thought to be typical of a forest
undergrowth. Other camouflage patterns utilized designs which
incorporate leaf shapes, especially oak leaf shapes, and the shapes
and colors simulating the bark on trees such as those sold under
the trademarks Realtree.RTM. and Mossy Oak.RTM. or described in
U.S. Pat. No. D326,363 to Cooper.
The aforementioned designs do not address the problems associated
with camouflage in an undergrowth of fan-shaped palmetto palms. The
leaves of the fan-shaped palmetto palm, particularly that found in
the forests of Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast of the United
States, are flat, fanned, long, pointed with finger-like segments
and are typically dark green. These leaves are typically evergreen
and stay dark green during the fall and winter months even when
surrounding vegetation has started to turn or has turned brown. The
fan-shaped palmetto palm leaves typically turn brown only when the
plant is damaged. When that occurs, an undergrowth comprised
primarily of fan-shaped palmetto palms consists of thick clumps of
plants having dark green, fanned, flat, long, pointed, finger-like
leaves. These clumps are interspersed with the brown leaves of the
same shape from broken or damaged palm plants and the twigs, vines
and leaves of secondary vegetation.
The aforementioned camouflage patterns do not attempt to nor do
they adequately mimic the colors, shapes and shadings associated
with an undergrowth comprised principally of the fan-shaped
palmetto palm plant. The rounded leaf shapes and vertical trunk
shaped images suggested for concealment by the foregoing designs
stand out against a background comprised of non-round, generally
flat, fan-shaped, long, finger-like foliage typical of the
fan-shaped palmetto palm undergrowth that is found in the forests
of the United States Gulf Coast. Thus, the foregoing suggested
camouflage patterns do not adequately serve their intended purpose
of concealment. Consequently, a need exists for an improved
camouflage pattern for use on clothing and other articles to aid in
concealing sportsmen, hunters, bird watchers and other outdoor
enthusiasts in the coastal forests of the United States Gulf Coast
where the fan-shaped palmetto palm comprises a substantial portion
of the forest undergrowth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is designed to present a camouflage pattern
to satisfy the aforementioned needs. It is comprised of a
multi-layered pattern depicting fan-shaped palmetto palm plants,
including the palm plants stems, leaves, and seeds, interspersed
with the vines and leaves of secondary plants over a gray
background. The gray background surface has a gradual, smooth and
continuous transition from areas of light gray to darker gray to
charcoal and then a gradual, smooth, and continuous transition back
along the gray spectrum to light gray. This transition of shades of
gray is to enhance the shadow effects and accentuate the illusion
of depth in the pattern.
The preferred embodiment of the camouflage pattern has over a gray
background having areas of gray that smoothly transition from light
gray to charcoal gray over a pattern of fan-shaped palmetto palm
plants. The foreground of the palmetto palm pattern is comprised of
a first pattern layer of nearly actual sized, fan-shaped palmetto
palm plant leaves, the leaves of the first pattern layer being
colored a medium dark green shade to simulate the natural color of
the plant and a mid-ground second pattern layer of fan-shaped
palmetto palm plant leaves, the leaves of the second pattern layer
being a lighter shade of green than the first layer and sized
smaller than those leaves of the first pattern layer. This shift in
size and color from the first pattern layer to the second pattern
layer is to give an appearance of depth of field to the resulting
combination of pattern layers.
Additional leaves in each pattern layer of fan-shaped palmetto palm
plant leaves are included and are intended to be bent and folded
downward in appearance to simulate the appearance of dead or
damaged plants. Interwoven with and between the aforementioned
layers are vines, leaves and twigs of varying sizes and shades of
green and brown to simulate secondary foliage, such as poison ivy
vines and leaves, that is common to a forest having palmetto palm
plants.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a camouflage
pattern for use on clothing and other articles to aid in concealing
a hunter or outdoorsman in forest undergrowth comprised primarily
of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a camouflage
pattern for use on clothing and other articles for concealing a
hunter or outdoorsman in a forest undergrowth comprised primarily
of plants having non-round, generally flat, fan-shaped, long,
pointed, finger-like foliage.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a camouflage
pattern for use on clothing and other articles to aid in concealing
a hunter or outdoorsman in forest undergrowth comprised primarily
of evergreen plants.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a camouflage
pattern for use on clothing and other articles to aid in concealing
a hunter or outdoorsman in forest undergrowth comprised primarily
of evergreen fan-shaped palmetto palm plants over a gray background
that transitions smoothly from areas of light gray to charcoal gray
over the gray spectrum.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a reduced sized representation of the preferred palmetto
camouflage pattern.
FIG. 2 is a back view of a jacket made from cloth printed with the
palmetto camouflage pattern.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
And now, referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1,
there is shown in reduced size the camouflage pattern 10 of
applicant's invention. In the preferred embodiment. The pattern 10
is comprised primarily of groupings or layers depicting fan-shaped
palmetto palm plants 12, 14 and 16 over a gray background 20. As
shown in FIG. 1, overlaying the gray background 20 of the
camouflage pattern 10 there is a foreground grouping of nearly life
size fan-shaped palmetto palm plants 12. The foreground grouping is
comprised primarily of plants fan shaped palmetto palm plants 12
having medium dark green, fan-shaped, outwardly extending,
finger-like leaves though, spaced intermittently throughout the
grouping, are palmetto palm plants 13 having brown, downwardly
bent, fan-shaped, finger-like leaves to simulate dead or dying
palmetto plants.
In addition to the foreground grouping of plants 12, the pattern 10
has a first mid-ground grouping of plants consisting primarily of
fan-shaped palmetto palm plants 14. The plants 14 of the first
mid-ground grouping are of the same shaped as the plants 12 but of
a lighter shade of green and are slightly smaller than the plants
12 to give the appearance of depth to the pattern 10. As with the
plants 12 of the foreground grouping, the first mid-ground grouping
has a plurality of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants 15 having brown,
downwardly bent, finger-like leaves spaced intermittently
throughout the grouping of plants 14 to again simulated dead or
dying palmetto palm plants.
A second mid-ground grouping of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants 16
is also placed in the pattern 10. The plants 16 of the second
mid-ground grouping are of the same general shape and color as
those plants 14 of the first mid-ground grouping but are sized to
be slightly smaller than the plants 14 to further enhance the depth
of field appearance of the pattern 10. As with the plants 12 and 14
of the preceding groupings, the second mid-ground grouping has a
plurality of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants 17 having brown,
downwardly bent, finger-like leaves spaced intermittently
throughout the grouping of plants 16 to simulated dead or dying
palmetto palm plants. Interwoven throughout each of the groupings
of fan-shaped palmetto palm plants 12, 14, and 16 of the pattern 10
are the vines and leaves 18 of the poison ivy plant. The poison ivy
plant being selected for the pattern 10 since it is a plant common
to the forest undergrowth where the fan-shaped palmetto palm is
prevalent. The poison ivy vines and leaves 18 are placed through
out the pattern 10 and the poison ivy vines and leaves 18 vary in
size, some vines and leaves 18 being small and some being large, to
further enhance the illusion of depth provided by the pattern 10.
In addition to the poison ivy vines and leaves 18, the pattern is
interspersed with a depiction of the stalks and berries 19 of the
palmetto palm plant of sizes that correspond to the plants 12, 14
and 16.
While the background 20 is shown white in FIG. 1, the underlying
gray background 20 of the pattern 10 has contiguous areas of gray
that gradually and smoothly transitions up the grey spectrum from
areas of light gray to darker gray to charcoal gray and then back
down to the gray spectrum to areas of light gray. This repeated
transition from areas of light gray to areas of darker gray in the
background 20 of the pattern 10 is intended to again enhance the
perception of depth in the viewer that is brought on by the
overlying groupings of palm plants.
FIG. 2 is a back view of a jacket 30 made from cloth over which is
imprinted the camouflage pattern 10 and is intended to illustrate
the use of the camouflage pattern of an article of hunting
clothing. The pattern 10 may also be utilized with other articles
of clothing such as pants, shirts, caps, boots and shoes. The use
of the camouflage pattern 10 can be extend to other articles such
knapsacks, bags and blind materials or to other clothing such as
overcoats and rainwear and is intended for use on any article for
which camouflage is desirable. It being the current trend to
utilize printed camouflage patterns on many different kinds of
articles, not only for its functional aspects but for its
ornamental nature, the camouflage pattern 10 is adaptable to such
uses.
It is thought that the camouflage pattern of the present invention
and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the
foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes
may be make in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts
thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form
described herein being merely a preferred or exemplary embodiment
of the invention.
* * * * *